Abstract

Counselling has become an important and integral part of secondary schools in Cameroon owing to the dynamism of education and the many problems facing secondary school students. The need for counsellors is one that cannot be overlooked owing to the fact that the teacher counsellor is either one or non-existent in most schools.

This study investigated the Influence of Guidance and Counselling on Students Discipline in some selected Secondary schools in the Buea Municipality. Specifically, the study sought to examine the influence of individual counseling, group counseling, and peer counseling on students’ discipline in secondary schools.

The study was guided by William Glasser’s (1998) Theories of Educational Transformation, Burrhus Frederic Skinnerian (1992) Behavioural Modification Models, and the Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura (1986). The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design. Data was collected purposively, with the use of a questionnaire, from a sample population of 240 students from 8 selected secondary schools.

Data were descriptively analyzed from the questionnaire by calculating frequencies and percentages. Findings revealed that guidance and counseling services have an influence on students’ discipline in some secondary schools in the Buea Municipality. The study proved that individual counseling has an influence on student discipline in secondary schools in Buea Municipality. This is evident as students receive support and experience growth during a challenging time in school.

Similarly, it was revealed that the use of group counseling has an influence on student discipline in secondary schools in Buea Municipality. As there is much collaboration between teachers and students in my school towards the management of discipline. Group counselling has enabled students to overcome indiscipline cases in schools and help us to attain a self-understanding which has helped us to be more disciplined in school.

Likewise, the study revealed that the use of peer counselling has an influence on student discipline in secondary schools in Buea Municipality. This was proven by the fact that peer counselling sessions are well planned, and peer counselling helps brings about good discipline and conduct among students. The study recommended that students should be encouraged to visit the counselling office at least once a week.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Introduction

It is absolutely necessary to direct students to exhibit acceptable attitudes and behavior within and outside the school. The rapid expansion of student enrolment in school in most African countries since the attainment of political independence coupled with inadequate resources to cope with the ever-increasing demand for education provision has made school management a much more complex and difficult enterprise than a few decades ago.

Meyer (1991) states that discipline problems in schools and institutions are perhaps the single greatest cause of concern for educators globally. Discipline is consistently identified as a serious school problem in public opinion. Students’ indiscipline has plagued schools leading to series of unrest destruction of property, vandalism, sexual abuse, killing, and drug abuse.

An organized guidance and counseling program is essential in assisting students to cope with the stresses they face while in and out of school. Some of this stress according to Melgosa (2001) include physical and psychological changes they face due to adolescence.

The challenges of adolescence according to Melgosa (1997) include adapting to new image, facing the growing academic demands, establishing vocational goals, learning to control sexuality, emotional and psychological independence from their parents. Some of the learners in secondary schools are at an adolescence stage and an effective guidance and counseling program in schools must be availed to assist this student (Melgosa, 2001).

The rationale to offer guidance and counseling to students is clear, the school year is a period of academic, social, personal, emotional, and intellectual growth for most if not all students. By re-solving the physical, emotional social, and academic difficulties of the students and by helping students understand their learning strengths and weaknesses; their academic achievement can be improved and their overall development can be enhanced.

Besides this, the increasing complexities in society, industrial and technological development, changes of the nation’s educational system, and an increasing number of students necessitate the provision of effective guidance and counseling and counseling service more than ever before. The rest of this chapter covers the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions, justification of the study, significance of the study, the scope of the study, operational definition of terms, and close of the chapter.

Background of the Study

The historical development of guidance and counselling in Cameroon can be broken down into three distinct interrelated areas. The Era of Searching, 1945-1968, the Era of Identity, 1968-1982 and the Era of New Directions, since 1982 till date. Era of Searching from 1945-1968; The French Administration was concerned with the crucial problem of selection of manpower (labour) to work in factoriesteachers (Oyieyo, 2012).

An in-service was therefore created within the Public Works Department with its headquarters in Douala. Understandably, this service was essentially charged with the selection of executive staff, students, and apprentices to undergo technical training. In 1949, this service was transformed by Decree No. 49-4192 of 26th December 1949 into “The Center for Psychological Counselling and Vocational Choice”, and it was mandated to carry out studies of a general nature on the selection of professional staffs for different services in the territory, to advise and supervise labour training and security, and In 1951, (ConseillerPrincipale de Orientation ScolaireUniversite et Professional) C.P.O.S.U.P was scrapped and replaced, at least in name by the “Service for Psychological Counselling and Vocational Choice” (S.P.O.S.P) and attached to the Secretary General of the Local Governor. The change was purely nominal for the duties of S.P.O.S.P were those formerly undertaken by C.P.O.S.P.

Later, by Decree No. 63/46 CDR of 16 August 1963, S.P.O.S.P was replaced with the Service of Vocational Guidance and Psychological Studies of Labour Problems. Although the service was placed under the Secretariat of State for Labour, it was significant for two basic reasons (Anyi, 2017). For the first time, an official link was established between the Secretariat of State for Labour and the Ministry of National Education (MINEDUC) in matters of guidance and counselling. Secondly, official recognition was given to the need for career counselling, in view of the increasing numbers of educational establishments and the increasing student population (Weiten, 2007).

The responsibilities of these services now include among others: carrying out psychological studies adapted to the orientation and vocational selection of individuals for the public and private sectors; to provide psycho-technical tests within competitive examinations organized by the MINEDUC for different levels of education, such as primary, secondary and technical schools belonging to the state, private organizations or individuals; and to aid other Ministries in ensuring that appropriate manpower was recruited for their services (Anyi, 2017).

The Era of Identity from (1968-1982). The identity that was mutely provided to career counselling in 1963 was reinforced and enlarged during the life of the second 5-year Federal Development Plan (1966/1971). It was envisaged that beginning with the second 5-year plan, counselling will play a role in the promotion of students from lower to higher levels of the school system (Abolade, 2000).

To meet this objective, career and educational problems were separated from those of labour and employment. While labour and employment remained within the competence of the Ministry of Labour, by Decree No. 68/DF/268 of 12 July 1968 reorganizing the MINEDUC, a Guidance bureau was created within the Planning Service of MINEDUC.

The bureau was given the assignment of providing parents and students with all necessary information related to their studies; to orientate students to follow the paths corresponding to their aptitudes both physically and intellectually in line with their personal interest and economic needs; to initiate and maintain school files and undertake studies on the most appropriate psychological methods for use in school and secondary school counselling under Cameroon conditions.

In view of the shortage of Cameroonians in this discipline, the Government solicited and received technical assistance from UNESCO and the French Government established the framework of executing this task. School files were established and tests were administered to some students mainly in few schools in Yaoundé and Douala areas (Joseph and Yahayaa, 2014).

The Era of new directions since (1982) till date. Career and vocational counselling had received recognition as an agent of change or an intervention tool. However, for these and other reasons, a section for the training of counsellors was established within the Department of Science of Education in the “EcoleNormaleSuperieure”, Yaoundé in 1982 by Decree No. 79/309 of the 10th of August 1979. The admission of the two-years programmed was by direct competitive examinations.

The examinations were opened to Cameroonians and foreigners, within the ages of 18-32, and holders of a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in any discipline. The the background of those admitted varied greatly as the students could include teachers, lawyers, economists, as well as those trained in the natural sciences. Today many more counselling programs have been introduced in other states’ universities in the country.

For example Universities of Maroua and Bamenda precisely in the Higher Teacher Training Colleges of these two universities. Counsellors are also trained in other schools like the Higher Technical Teachers Training Colleges of Kumba, Douala, Ebolowa, and Bamenda. In addition, the Department of Counselling Psychology has gone operational in the Faculty of Education of the University of Bamenda while the Department of Educational Psychology in the University of Buea and that of Psychology in the University of Yaoundé all run training programs for counsellors. This has broadened the scope of the discipline hence many more people are beginning to see the need for guidance and counselling in our schools in general and secondary schools in particular (Documented).

Contextually, Education is a very important aspect of every nation. In Cameroon, the government and the society pay a lot of attention to its existence and a lot of resources are allocated to ensure its smooth functioning. Thus, education should be checked in and out to make sure that students are disciplined in schools so that their success can be guaranteed.

This is the reason why the researcher is interested in finding out the effectiveness of guidance and counselling and the management of students’ discipline in selected public secondary schools in Cameroon.

Formerly, students used to be disciplined physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively before going to school but today, students go to school unready (students going late to school, staying out of classes during teaching), little or no discipline and this greatly affects their behaviours (Kolo, 2001).

To be disciplined in and out of school means that, students have to be prepared for learning and they should strive to be very successful or to be achieving better or excellent academic results. When students are ready for discipline in schools, it is logical that output will be increased leading to success.

Thus, those aspects that make students discipline deserve some research because the end result is high academic achievement. Students are expected to be given some discipline by their parents and the community in order for them to acquire some behaviour that will make them ready for school. Before, teachers were seen as semi-god by the government, communities, families, and students (Akinade, 2012).

Nowadays, most students enter school unprepared. This is exhibited in so many ways such as; hesitation to go to school, refusal to participate in a class or to do assignments, unwillingness to learn, and many others. Most of these students generally lack courtesy, respect, self-control, decency, and social etiquette.

The values they portray are disrespect toward authority, promiscuity, drug abuse, addiction behaviour and carefree lifestyles. As if that is not enough, students killing teachers. For example, a mathematics teacher by the name of Mr. Boris Kelvin was killed by a student in Government High School Nkolbissong in Yaoundé (the Guidance newspaper, 2020).

A learner in a new school or in a higher level of a learning institution is to cope with the new environment through guidance. Learners are helped to develop a better understanding of whom they are and appreciate of their background. Learners are guided on self-awareness, peer pressure, relationships, personality differences, manners and social etiquette, social roles and responsibility, intra and interpersonal conflict resolutions. Though personal and social guidance, a student is helped to overcome indiscipline as a quest for freedom. Indiscipline among students is as a result of feelings of unfulfillment, frustration and lack of constructive freedom (Bamgbaiye, 2005).

Secondary school counsellors provide counselling programs in three critical areas:   academic, personal/social, and career (Egbo, 2013). Their services and programs help students resolve emotional, social or behavioural problems and help them develop a clearer focus or sense of direction.

Effective counselling programs are important to the secondary schools’ climate and a crucial element in improving student achievement through discipline. Secondary schools counsellors, like all educational professionals, are increasingly being required to demonstrate evidence of effective practice. This work provides concrete reflections to determine how Cameroon secondary schools are cribbing in meeting the discipline needs of students through guidance and counselling programs (Bamgbaiye, 2005).

Discipline refers to self-restraint in individuals for the welfare of all. That is; the control of someone’s or one’s own emotions and actions for the development of desirable attitudes according to acceptable standards.

Discipline is a powerful predictor of many important outcomes in our society today. Educational achievement, lifetime earnings, physical and mental health, and even delinquency and law-breaking behaviour have been linked to discipline.  The letter was written by the Minister of Secondary Education on 21 January 2020 titled ‘New measures to Strengthen Discipline and Security in Schools (no later than 4th February 2020) to the Heads of Government and Private Institutions, was evidence that schools were not disciplined as expected (discipline is not satisfactory).

The letter general objective was the practical proposals to strengthen discipline and security in schools, as an educational policy to solve the major problems plaguing the Cameroon School system, whereby students are fighting each other; worst of all is the fact that students are killing teachers.

As educators, researchers, and policymakers attempt to understand how to promote discipline in schools; more and more attention is being placed on the preschool (family) discipline because it is the base for future discipline.

However, our education system is sick with the upsurge of violence between students against students and students against teachers. Looking at what is going on in our educational system today irrespective of the efforts made by the Minister of Education to handle indiscipline in public secondary schools in Cameroon, indiscipline of varied nature has persisted in these schools with a new dimension.

Not only were they violet and destructive, but they were premeditated, organized, and caused the greatest damage to human life. If that scenario is anything to go by, then indiscipline was a threat to our school. It’s common to hear parents, teachers, and church leaders blaming each other for failing to teach young people to behave well.

Many parents have abandoned the teaching of their children which they have entrusted to the teachers (Oyieyo, 2012). The whole country has been experiencing political civil unrest and Kumba Municipality is not an exception. Indiscipline causes in public secondary schools in Cameroon had become a matter of concern in recent years to stakeholders.

Sources from the district education office (2020) indicate that for the last three years over dozen schools have had major indiscipline cases and caused harm to the students, teachers, and parents’ schools as indicated by vices such as drugs abuse, strikes, destruction of school properties, truancy, harassment, and others

Statement of the Problem

Guidance and counseling programs in secondary schools are concerned with determining and providing the developmental needs of learners. A good definition of guidance and counseling program should focus on holistic nature which include; personal academic, social, vocational among others.

Despite the affords made by the government the promote of discipline in schools, it’s doubtful that the approach has not been able to deal decisively with students’ indiscipline, particularly at the secondary schools’ level. The country has continued to witness escalating cases of indiscipline in public secondary schools.

It has been realized that student’s indiscipline in secondary school in Cameroon has eaten too deep into the student’s moral upbringing. Students have become uncontrolled and highly disrespectful to themselves, teachers, parents, school administrators, and to society at large. Students portray different types of indiscipline behavior such as, boycotting of lessons, watching and practicing pornography, lies telling, violence, disobedience to teachers, prefects, and school administration, alcohol consumption, controlling, and stabbing teachers.

For instance, a 16 years old student at the public school in Nkolbisson in a neighborhood in Yaoundé is accused of using a knife to stab his mathematics teacher who died of excessive bleeding as he was been rush to the hospital.

The school said that the student insisted on using his phone in class against the teacher’s instruction. vandalism, lateness in school, a teacher was battered by students in Douala for questioning why they were late to school, cultism. It’s for this reason that this study sought to investigate the effectiveness of guidance and counselling in managing students’ discipline in public secondary schools in Buea Municipality.

Objectives of the Study

General Objective

The main objective of the study is to investigate the influence of guidance and counseling on students’ discipline in some secondary schools in the Buea Municipality.

Specific Objectives

Specifically, the study sought to;

1. Determine the extent to which individual counseling influences students’ discipline in some secondary schools in the Buea Municipality.
2. Establish the extent to which group counseling influences students’ discipline in some secondary schools in Buea Municipality.
3. Examine the extent to which peer counseling influences students’ discipline in some secondary schools in Buea municipality.